Grounds Horticulture Mgr.

Summary: This is managerial and professional work in the field of horticulture. Methods of performing tasks are usually left to the judgment of the employee with an administrative superior available for assistance if needed. Work is performed individually under general direction and is reviewed upon completion. This position supervises and directs a team of Horticulturists at New Orleans City Park. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Other duties may be assigned

• Provides professional advice on the selection, ordering, planting, and maintenance of trees, shrubs, ground covers, and turfgrass throughout the Park.
• Prepares annual budget for Horticulture team, including personnel, operating and capital expenses.
• Responsible for working within a budget for purchases of plant material, fertilizers, soil amendments, equipment, etc.
• Develop and implement a nutrient management program for selected turf areas throughout the park for that includes fertilization and control of pests including insects, invasive weeds and disease, and train park personnel in other departments
• Plans, designs and installs various projects throughout the park including new building landscapes, annual and perennial flower beds, park entrances, tree plantings and various landscapes around the park.
• Works closely with Grounds supervisors and staff.
• Inventories, maps, and labels landscapes and irrigation zones for instructional and maintenance purposes.
• Confers with landscape architect and other contracted labor to ensure proper selection of plant material and installation of large scale landscape projects and irrigation systems.
• Confers with management to report conditions, plan plantings and to discuss changes in horticulture throughout the park.
• Prepare schedule for maintenance of landscapes for pruning, weeding, fertilizing and mulching.
• Prepare schedule for propagation of annual plants for planting throughout the year.
• Monitors pest activities and schedules, prepares and applies pesticides.
• Determine proper rates for fertilizer and pesticide application and properly calibrate equipment for spraying and spreading fertilizer and pesticides.
• Operate, repair and maintain common horticulture equipment
• Install, monitor and repair all aspects of irrigation systems and staff assigned to same.
• Drives and operates heavy machinery, such as dump truck, tractor, or growth-media tiller, to transport materials and supplies.
• Assist Arborist in compiling tree inventory and risk assessment.
• Maintain any area of the park that is not currently the responsibility of another Department in the park.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Interviewing, hiring, training, rewarding, disciplining and appraising performances of employees.
• Addressing complaints and resolving problems around the workplace.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws.
• Responsible for coordination of volunteer work day schedules in conjunction with the Volunteer Manager.
• Hires and trains employees in horticultural techniques, such as transplanting and weeding, propagation, fertilizing, pesticide application, and pruning, etc.
• Prepares and submits written or oral reports of personnel actions, such as performance evaluations, hires, promotions, and disciplinary actions.
• Assign work schedules and duties to staff and supervises the work.
• Reviews employees' work to ascertain quality and quantity of work performed.
• Coordinate and supervise individual and group volunteers and prepare volunteer projects that meet the needs of the Park.
• Manage time clock, personal time off requests and approve timesheets for payroll purposes.
  
  

Qualifications

• B.S. from a four-year college or two-year degree with relevant work experience and/or training.
• Thorough knowledge of horticulture.
• Ability to work independently, proactively and to take initiative to resolve issues or problems.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, and government regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions groups or managers, clients, customers and the general public.
• Ability to work with and apply mathematical concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to work on feet for long hours.
• Ability to lift and or move 50 pounds.
• Ability to work in various weather conditions including extreme heat, cold and rain.
  
  

Sustainability Goals

City Park employees must strive to decrease our environmental footprint by continually seeking ways to reduce waste and energy usage, care for natural Park habitat and wildlife, and to serve as models to our patrons to do the same through education and example.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock; explosives and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

COMPETITIVE BENEFITS PACKAGE!

Monday - Friday, First Shift

40 hours per week